Identification tag



1939- J. A. FOGARTY IDENTIFICATION TAG Filed Jan. 16, 1939VIIIIIIIIIII/II ZSmJentor JAE E9012? 9L M17 W Patented Oct. 17, 1939 -1UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Joseph A. Fogarty, Providence, R. I.Application January 16, 1939, Serial No. 251,234

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to identification tags for application toarticles of value, such as golf and handbags, brief cases, umbrellas,garments, pets, various equipment, and practically all articlesrequiring identification, and has for an object to provide a tag whichis substantial in construction, light in weight, inexpensive tomanufacture, and which may be conveniently handled and applied to thearticle and which may be easily opened for access to the interior forchanging the identifying data as occasion may require.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tag of this characterwith a cover or closure plate which, normally, is securely locked inclosed position, but which may be easily opened when desired, and whichmay be made in various sizes and shape, of desired materials, and may begiven desired finishes and embellishments to to adapt the tags tovarious uses and at the same time have an ornamental appearance.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the identification tag of thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a similar View but with the plate released and swung intoopen position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the identification tag with thecover plate partially closed and ready to be snapped into interlockingposition in the frame.

Figure 4 is an end view of the same, showing the lifting prong about tobe snapped into the casing.

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken through the closed devicesubstantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a reduced back view of the device, showing the flat surfacefor receiving advertising matter.

Figure '7 is a face view of the device showing a slight modification,the cover plate having a central opening for inspecting the address cardwithout opening the cover plate, and

Figure 8 is a face view of another slightly modified form wherein thecasing may be of oval configuration.

Referring now to the drawing, l5 designates the casing or body memberwhich is of shallow tray construction with a bottom Wa l Of flat orother suitable form and having marginal upstanding flanges I 6 providingthe sides of the casing. The casing l5 may be made of sheet metal or thelike, and the upper edge portions of the flanges l6 are overturnedinwardly to pro- 6 vide a locking bead I! extending about the upper edgeof the casing.

The bottom of the casing is adapted to support an address card 18, orthe like, which may be positioned through the open upper side of the 10casing, and may be easily renewed or interchanged as occasion requires.The marginal bead ll is interrupted at opposite ends of the casing toprovide slots l9 and 20 and to divide the bead I7 and its flange l6 intoopposed yield- 1 able gripping members. The casing has at one end anapertured ear 2| which extends from the slot 20 in the plane of thebottom wall of the casing [5. The open side of the casing is closed by acover plate 22 having a marginal flaring flange 23 at its inner sideadapted to be forced between the yieldable gripping members of thecasing bead H, as shown in Figure 5, for yieldably holding the coverplate 22 in the casing. The flange 23 of the cover plate may be, asshown, 25 of suflicient depth to bear against the address card l8 andhold it firmly in the casing.

As the flange 23 of the cover plate flares from the plate, the flange isinterlocked with the casing bead I! as the latter springs back into nor-3 mal position with the bead I! and flange 23 in overlapping relationwhen the cover plate is snapped into the casing.

The cover plate has a finger 24 extending from the flange 23 at one endthereof and adapted to 5 engage and spring through the slot l9 of thecasing when the cover plate is closed to assist in securing the plateclosed, and which is used for lifting or springing the cover plate 22out of the casing for opening the latter. The other end of the coverplate 22 has an apertured ear 25 extending from the flange 23 of theplate for engagement in the slot 20 when the cover plate is closed. Theears 2| and 25 of the casing l5 and the cover plate 22 are adapted tooverlie each other, and a jump ring 26, or other suitable connector, maybe secured through the ears to hingedly and pivotally connect the earstogether. The ring 26 may also be used for suspending the identificationtag on a cord, chain or the like depending upon the particular use ofthe tag.

In use, the tag is opened by forcing the finger 24 outwardly through theslot IQ of the casing. This action cams the cover flange 23 outwardlyfrom between the sides of the casing bead H, the

latter yielding sufiiciently to free the cover plate 22. The cover plate22 is now swung over into open position, as shown in Figure 2, and theaddress card l8 may be removed from the casing 15 and inscribed with thedesired identification data. The cover plate 22 may now be closed, andthis is effected by first fitting the hinged end of the cover plate,adjacent the ears 2| and 25, down into the adjacent end of the casing.The bead ll of the casing may be slightly reduced at the inner end ofthe casing to admit the easy fitting of the end of the cover platetherein, as shown in Figures 3 and. 4, and then the free end of thecover plate 22 is forced or snapped into the casing, as shown in Figures1 and 5. The-in: herent resiliency of the material of the casing l5 andcover plate 22 serving to hold "are parts firmly together when the tagis closed,

As shown in Figure 6, the rear side of the tag casing I5 may carryadvertisements, names, embellishments or the like and, as shown inFigure 7, the front or'c ve'r filte'"'22e"lnay have a transg parent wallons'ightbpening"admitting inspection of the'addrss card l8 withoutopening'the cbvfi o, c

05E course the casing l5 may be given any suitable shape and'siz efs uchas] oblong as shownin Figure 1; oval as shown in Figiire 8; or otherShams a d izv gnd eq l 1- A i en cati n ta om is a casing havin a all agina r m wi a a a s outer edge, said rim and bead being interrupted atth en of t e asi to adm spreading of the rim and bead, an address cardfitted in the bottom of; the casing, a cover plate having a-fiangeflaring into said rim past the bead thereon for ldin he co er ate on e ain an v ri saidaddress card, said casing having an ear at one end andsaid cover plate having a corre p n n t one end, h n e ns e connectingsaid ears, said cover plate having a finger at its opposite endextending through the interruption in the bead and adapted to be sprungaway from the casing for forcing the cover plate into open positionagainst the tension of said rim and bead.

2 An identification tag, comprising a shallow casing having a beadedmarginal flange, interrupted at opposite ends of the casing to provideopposite end slots, said casing having an ear projecting from one end inregister with the slot, an address card seated in the bottom of thecasing, a cover plate having a marginal flange frictionally engagingWithin said beaded flange of the casing, said cover plate having an earprojecting from one end adapted to overlie the ear of the casing andproject through the adjacent slot in the flange of the casing, saidcover plate having at its opposite end a finger projecting through theflange slot at the opposite end of the casing and adapted to be pressedout of the slot for raising the cover flange out of the casing flangeand releasing the cover from the casing, and connecting means engagingsaid ears for intereonnecting the cover plate to thecasing and admittingthe swinging of the cover plate into and out of the casing.

3. An identification tag, comprising a casing having a shallow beadedrim interrupted at opposite ends of the casing to provide slots thereatadmit yielding time rim under pressure, said casing having at one end anoutwardly projecting ear disposed in register with the adjacent rimslot, an address card seated in the bottom ofthe casing, ne er platehaving a marginal flange fri ctionally engaging in the casing rimto"hold the cover plate on the casing, said cover plate having an earprojecting from one end and engaging through the rim slot in the casingand over the ad ja ent ear on the casing, means for connecting" saidears together, said cover plate having a finger projecting from itsopposite end and engaging through the opposite i 'in the dat n ri S finer adapted to be forced out of'its rim slot for disengaging the coverflange from the casing rim freeing the cover plate to swing into openposition on said ears, said casing rim and said cover plate flangehaving a relatively loose at theear carrying ends of casing and coverplate, whereby the cover plate may be closed by first fitting the earcarrying end thereof in the adjacent end of the casing and subsequentlypressing and snapping the other end of the cover plate into the casingto l,

spring the beaded rim of the casing apart and admit the cover plateflange and to engage the finger in the adjacent slot of the casing rim.

JOSEPH A. FOGARTY.

